This invention relates to apparatus for protecting wellhead bores during drilling operations, and more particularly to bowl protectors for preventing damage to wellhead bore seal surfaces as drilling equipment passes through the wellhead.
A bowl protector comprises a generally elongated sleeve-like element that is traditionally installed temporarily in a wellhead bore to protect the bore sealing surfaces during a drilling operation. The bowl protector had to be removed, however, prior to running casing or tubing into the well to allow installation of the casing or tubing hangers in the wellhead. Removal of the bowl protector leaves the bore seal surfaces unprotected and thus highly vulnerable to damage by centralizers, casing collars and other equipment that must pass through the wellhead. This problem can become magnified in circumstances where the drilling rig is not perfectly centered over the well, a situation that occurs from time to time.